Iran's top leader opens way for Rouhani outreach

In this Sept. 10, 2013 photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, Iranian President Hasan Rouhani speaks during an interview with state television at the presidency in Tehran, Iran. In an interview with NBC News in Tehran, Rouhani says his people should be free to think, speak and seek information on the Internet, subject to "the protection of our national identity." (AP Photo/Presidency Office, Rouzbeh Jadidoleslam)
— AP

In this Sept. 10, 2013 photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, Iranian President Hasan Rouhani speaks during an interview with state television at the presidency in Tehran, Iran. In an interview with NBC News in Tehran, Rouhani says his people should be free to think, speak and seek information on the Internet, subject to "the protection of our national identity." (AP Photo/Presidency Office, Rouzbeh Jadidoleslam)
/ AP

In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a meeting of Revolutionary Guard commanders. There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The only messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Khamenei. N— AP

In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a meeting of Revolutionary Guard commanders. There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The only messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Khamenei. N
/ AP

In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a meeting of Revolutionary Guard commanders. There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The only messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Khamenei. N— AP

In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a meeting of Revolutionary Guard commanders. There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The only messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Khamenei. N
/ AP

In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on Tuesday, Sept 17, 2013, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a meeting of Revolutionary Guard commanders. There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The only messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Khamenei. No— AP

In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on Tuesday, Sept 17, 2013, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a meeting of Revolutionary Guard commanders. There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The only messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Khamenei. No
/ AP

TEHRAN, Iran 
There's no mistaking the desire of Iran's new president and his allies to open greater contacts with Washington over nuclear talks and possibly other regional crises such as Syria. The messages that really matter, though, come from the ultimate decision-maker in Tehran: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The immensely powerful Khamenei opened the door a bit six months ago by saying he wouldn't oppose closer diplomatic exchanges but did not believe the Washington was ready to make meaningful accommodations. Now, it appears Khamenei is giving President Hasan Rouhani critical room - for the moment at least - to explore potentially groundbreaking overtures with Washington.

A series of statements this week from Khamenei - including saying Iran can show "heroic flexibility" in diplomacy - suggest a significant shift could be underway. Khamenei appears to be aligning his views more closely with Rouhani's initiatives to repair tattered relations with the West and reopen stalled nuclear negotiations with world powers.

Perceived backing from Khamenei would bestow major credibility to the outreach appeals by Rouhani, who is scheduled to arrive in New York next week for the annual opening of the U.N. General Assembly session. Already, Rouhani's foreign minister, Mohammad Jadad Zarif, was in New York on Thursday making preparations, and Iran's only Jewish lawmaker, Siamak Moreh Sedgh, told The Associated Press in Tehran that he will be part of the delegation.

There also is increasing speculation that Rouhani could use the sidelines of the U.N. gathering to seek - directly or indirectly - more dialogue with the White House following the recent exchange of letters with U.S. President Barack Obama. One possible pathway is a planned meeting in New York between British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Zarif.

While it's still too early to declare Khamenei clearly in support of Rouhani's quest for new diplomatic openings, some of his recent comments have closely mirrored Rouhani's in substance and tone. Rouhani also told NBC News in an interview Wednesday that he has "full power and has complete authority" to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program - an apparent reference to a unified front with Khamenei and Iran's ruling clerics.

The last Iranian president to advocate greater outreach to the West, Mohammad Khatami, did not have full backing from the ruling clerics because of internal battles over reforms.

"Nothing is possible without the supreme leader's approval," said Scott Lucas, an Iranian affairs expert at Britain's Birmingham University and editor of EAWorldView, a foreign policy website. "Khamenei seems interested in giving Rouhani the chance to see where his outreach leads."

The reasons most likely circle back to the painful Western sanctions, which have slashed Iran's vital crude oil exports by about half. Khamenei appears ready to re-explore the options of some nuclear concessions - possibly scaling back uranium enrichment - in exchange for easing the economic squeeze. Past negotiations, however, hit dead ends over the same type of scenario.

In the NBC interview, Rouhani repeated Iran's claim that the West is wrong to think Iran seeks nuclear weapons. But Rouhani also has stood strongly behind Iran's declarations that it will never relinquish its ability to make nuclear fuel for its energy and medical research reactors - a program the U.S. and allies fear could eventually produce warhead-grade material.